Parliament Speaker: Gov’t “left alone” by opposition, NGOs in “propaganda war against country”
He also said the Government had managed to “repel” the “propaganda attacks” due to its “strength” through “support of the Georgian people”, and pointed to circumstances he said made the extent of Georgia’s response to the start of the war in Ukraine difficult. Photo via Shalva Papuashvili/Facebook page
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The domestic opposition and non-governmental organisations have left the Georgian Government to face the ongoing “propaganda war” against the country “alone”, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili told journalists on Thursday.
Papuashvili pointed to examples of “disinformation” about the Georgian territory being used for circumvention of international sanctions placed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, in comments that criticised a “large part” of the opposition and domestic NGOs for not rejecting the claims.
[W]e remember how many [Government] briefings were held [rejecting the claims] and how information about sanctions being circumvented through Georgia was spread. At least 10 cases [of such reports] come to mind”, the Parliament official told the press.
He also said the Government had managed to “repel” the “propaganda attacks” due to its “strength” through “support of the Georgian people”, and pointed to circumstances he said made the extent of Georgia’s response to the start of the war in Ukraine difficult.
We don't have the security umbrella of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or the European Union, and we have been at war with Russia three times. Therefore, the countries that are sheltered under this umbrella have more opportunities, but even they do not engage in war [against Russia]”, Papuashvili told the media.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said his country was “most supportive” to Ukraine, amid the latter’s defence from the Russian invasion, “considering the circumstances” related to the presence of Russian troops in Georgia’s occupied regions and a lack of “any international political or economic umbrella” protecting the country.
Karl Nehammer, the Austrian Chancellor on a visit to Georgia, on Monday said he was “very happy” Tbilisi had joined “all financial sanctions” imposed on Russia by the European Union for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, despite the presence of Russian occupation troops on Georgian territory.
Archil Talakvadze, the Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker, on Monday said Georgia would “never become a place for circumventing the sanctions” imposed on Russia by the international community for its invasion of Ukraine.
Khatuna Samnidze, an opposition MP and the Chair of the Republican Party, on Tuesday said the Georgian authorities were “doing everything” to prevent use of the country’s territory for circumvention of the sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgia has not been “used in any way” to circumvent sanctions imposed by the international community against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said on Saturday while evaluating the 10th package of sanctions against Russia approved by the European Union.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday said “a number of non-governmental organisations” had been created in the country over the years, with the activities of many of them remaining “non-transparent”.